By Samantha Meyer
Beacon Correspondent
Quinn Harstead never forgot the summers she spent at Camp Shady Oaks. The friendships, the rivalries, the first sparks of young love — all of it imprinted on her in ways she could never erase. But the camp also carried dark memories and secrets that eventually unfolded into tragedy in the summer of 1999.
This haunting past and nostalgic summer camp vibes are the backdrop of “Summer of ’99,” a novel written by Upper Peninsula native J.L. Hyde, who is known for crafting suspense thrillers that vividly capture the landscapes and spirit of Upper Michigan. This novel moves between the carefree camp days of the late ’90s and the haunted present.
Quinn has grown into a reclusive author whose success is based on her painful past and experience at Camp Shady Oaks. The camp closed after the 1999 scandal, but with its reopening announced two decades later, Quinn is invited to return — and forced to confront what happened that long-ago summer.
The novel gains momentum in a dual timeline format, which alternates between Quinn’s teenage summers at the camp and her uneasy return as an adult. Hyde carefully unravels the pivotal events that occurred that fateful summer of 1999. Cassie, a known bully, and Vinny, a quiet boy entangled in her presence, are later found dead under mysterious circumstances. Their deaths remain unsolved for decades, until the shocking reopening of the camp.
What stands out most in Hyde’s writing is the vivid atmosphere she builds, drawing on the Upper Peninsula and the Hiawatha National Forest to anchor the novel in her U.P. roots. Her storytelling combines the feeling of a familiar place and builds suspense, creating a plot that hooks readers and refuses to let go. Hyde brings Camp Shady Oaks to life — the creak of wooden cabins, the mosquito-filled air and the glimmer of lake water at dusk. The past feels alive with the vitality of youth and the momentary joys of summer. At the same time, readers sense the lingering melancholy and unease tied to the events of 1999. Quinn’s grief and guilt seep into the narrative, leaving readers to question whether she is responsible or simply mourning the loss of her childhood innocence.
Even Quinn’s own recollections change as she tries to remember details and events she wishes were true. Some questions cannot be answered because of Quinn’s unreliable memory, which leaves gaps in what happened that summer and truths that remain just out of reach, casting doubt on every person present that night.
The author describes how personal this book is. In a note to The Beacon, Hyde wrote, “I think the most special book to write was ‘Summer of ’99’ because (other than the murder) most of the story is true and based on my experiences at summer camp as a teen.” That lived experience shows through the authenticity of the camp and the bittersweet nostalgia of adolescence.
Readers familiar with Hyde’s novels might recognize the Michigan landscapes in her other novels as well, including “Delta County” and “Grady Lake.” Hyde reflected on her earlier successes, noting, “‘Delta County’ was my very first bestseller, and ‘Grady Lake’ has brought me a lot of new readers via social media, so they hold special places in my heart.”
Hyde recently published her 10th novel, “To All Those I’ve Killed Before.”